Wednesday, August 26, 2009

My youngest daughter has begun a home cake decorating endeavor. Pictures I have seen of what she has done just blow me away. Best I've seen in a long time . . . and I'm a pastor . . . I see lots of cakes.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Several months ago, I was loaned the use of a 1956 Silvertone "Twin Thin" guitar by a family in our church. The intent of the gift was I would use it during the Children's Time at 8:50, 10:10 and 11:15 am services, as well on a children's worship CD we have been talking about.

It needed a bit of work . . . which was finished this last week. My thanks to Kerry Cash at Kerry's Guitar Shop for resetting the neck and making some needed adjustments.

This past Sunday, I used this guitar for the first time in worship, and the children helped in blessing it for use in ministry.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I've been on a "kick" for a while about my needing to decide to live more slowly.

Some have asked me if I mean "living one day at a time," or "living more focused on what is important," or "slowing down?"

Yes . . . Yes . . . Yes

So, I've begun my personal "Operation Living Life More Slowly." Problem is, I can't make all the changes I want to all at once . . . and since I am a believer in process . . . I have started created steps for what I want / hope to do.

First . . . I am going to start eating all my meals more slowly.

I have actually been doing this for almost a month now . . . and with a few exceptions, I have focused on eating one bite of food at a time . . . slowly chewing . . . tasting more . . . savoring more . . .

And, noticing in the process, that when I eat slowly . . . I don't eat near as much as when I just gobble it all down in record time. Interesting . . .

I've also noticed . . . that I need to punch a new hole in my belt . . . it's loose!!!!

Second . . . I am going to start praying more slowly and deliberately.

This . . . for me as an extrovert . . . is very hard. I am so easily distracted visually. I am searching for a couple of good "prayer places." But, if eating more slowly has been such a kick, then praying more slowly should be a trip indeed.

Other steps are coming to mind . . . working to get then in proper priority.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Another guitar blog . . . if not for you . . . then move on, but be sure to check back later.

Just heard that the great Les Paul passed away today at a hospital in White Plains, NY. He was 94 years old.

He was an inventer, electronics and music pioneer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member . . . credited with inventing the solid body electric guitar, whose design would become the Les Paul first made by Gibson, and a designed now copied by so, so, so many guitar manufacturers.

He also was credited with pioneering multi-tracking, which changed the sound of rock and roll, jazz, and all other music genres.

Youtube.com has many videos of Les . . . including parts of several documentaries.

For those of us who play electric guitar . . . "Les Paul, thank you, and R.I.P."

Thursday, August 6, 2009

I had been planning on purchasing a Digital SLR camera for some time . . . well, for at least the past two years.

My friend Floyd is into photography, and I enjoy talking to him about taking pictures, and once had the opportunity to take him to several areas in Grapevine and had the privilige of watching as he took pictures of flowers, water, even a few of me . . .

In the past, as I was preparing to buy a camera, the money I had saved needed to be used for something "more necessary" than a camera.

Oh well . . . there is always another day.

Prior to leaving for Disney World, I had the chance to look at some different point-and-shoot digital cameras. At Best Buy, where we had gone to exchange an SD Card for my Mom, I finally got to look at and hold a Canon PowerShot G-10.

My Mom, bless her sweet-kind-wonderful-compassionate soul, was feeling more generous than her normal more-than-generous nature . . . long story short, we came home with the G-10, and immediately, we were all impressed with the quality of a 14 megapixel picture, especially without flash.

I am planning on doing a photo blog soon (something I have always wanted to do) . . . and will post some of the Disney World pictures I took. I never put this camera out of the "auto mode" . . . and ended up taking some great pictures.

I did accidentally leave the operations manual at home, so I didn't do to much experimenting. I am visiting with Floyd tomorrow in Waco . . . hoping for some pointers. I had earlier sent Floyd a message about the camera, and he did some research for me . . . he knew what I was actually wanting a camera for . . . and pronounced it all good.

To tell the truth, going to Disney World was never on my to-do list. Always thought it was too far and too expensive.

Then, my maternal grandmother recently passed away. One of her final wishes was that my Mom take all the family, who could go, to Disney World.

And the rest . . . . is Mang/Hudson/Cornell family history.

We enjoyed a 7 night stay . . . and had a great time. I think the only reason we left, besides our reservation coming to an end, was the Florida afternoon humidity and heat. We were just tired of the heat.

For the record . . . we were not tired of Disney World.

And yes, for those who want to know . . . I want to go back . . . but in the spring or fall. Maybe in 2010 . . . when depends on when I try to go to Kenya.

What did I like . . . the stuff everyone told me I would like . . .

-The Parade of Lights and Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom

-Everything about Epcot

-The Safari ride at Animal Kingdom

-Cirque de Solieu (simply put . . . quadruple "Outstanding!!!")

-Catching a 6 lb black bass

-All the african animals in the animal preserve next to the Animal Kingdom Lodge / Kidani Village.

-Collecting and trading Disney Word pins. I came home with every "guitar" pin I could find, with the exception of the Hanna Montana and Jonas brother pins.

Please . . . I am not going down that road . . .

So, a few days to catch up on yard work and some stuff I need to get down around the house, then I will be back at the church on Monday, August 10th.

It was confirmed last night that Tom Petty died after being found in his home unresponsive and in full cardiac arrest. Tom and the Heartb...

THANKS FOR DROPPING IN . . .

Rick's Song Bag . . .

is the blog of Rev. Rick Mang, a United Methodist clergyman who lives in Texas where he serves as pastor of a church in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Rick is also a Certified Therapeutic Music Entertainer who sings for senior adults in area nursing, rehab and retirement homes, and in senior activity centers. Rick also sings for different church and community groups and events as his schedule allows.

For more information about Therapeutic Music Entertainment, singing to senior adults, or to start a music conversation, please email Rick at revrickmang@gmail.com.

I have been blessed to have had several mentors along my life's journery. Joe Laughlin was one of them. Joe was my "adopted" big brother, best friend, guitar and vocal mentor, and fellow Christian folk philospher. I miss him.

CHILDREN'S WORSHIP CD

Rick still has copies of his Children's Worship CD ... contact him by email at revrickmang@gmail.com to get a copy! Postage paid in the US. Donations are accepted. Free if that's how you want it.

Would you like to share your story about your favorite musical instrument?

I am soliciting stories about people and their favorite instruments to make music with. If you would like to share your story, then please contact me at revrickmang@gmail.com. I will get back with you to soon.

DISCLAIMER . . .

It goes without saying . . .

The thoughts, opinions, ideas, stories, meditations, prayers, and other information written anywhere on this blog are usually my own ramblings and responses to things I have seen, heard, read or witnessed. I write out of the ever changing and conflicted struggle that exists between my head and my heart as I try to live out my life mission in the best and most productive way I can.

What I write or share in no way reflects the views of any church, denomination, political party, friend, relative, writer, musical group, musician friend, artist, fishing buddy, fellow hiker, walker, other blogger, city, state, county, nation, or for that matter anybody else you possibly could ever hope to think of.

Sometimes, the words and thoughts of others are so well written, and touch me so deeply, that I am moved to share them. When and if I share the words and thoughts of others, I honestly try to give and acknowledge appropriate credit, and will do so if you bring it to my attention that I haven't.